Overexpression of PDGFR-beta is an important factor in pancreatic cancer as well as other inflammatory diseases, including arteriosclerosis and therefore is a highly significant molecular target. The long-range goal of this proposal is to develop small molecule therapeutics that will specifically suppress PDGFR-beta gene expression. Our strategy takes advantage of the recent insight into the importance of G-quadruplexes in transcriptional silencing of a number of genes, including c-Myc. Preliminary data reported in this proposal demonstrate that a cluster of four overlapping G-quadruplexes are key elements in the control of PDGFR-beta transcription. We have also demonstrated that known G-quadruplex-interactive compounds have differential effects on PDGFR-beta gene expression dependent on the selectivity for the constituent G-quadruplexes. Transcriptionally induced superhelicity has been demonstrated to be important in the conversion of duplex DNA to G-quadruplex in promoter region. Thus our hypothesis to be tested is that the negative superhelicity induced by transcription provides a real-time feedback mechanism into the NHE in the PDGFR-beta promoter to modulate both the firing rate (cruise control) and activation or silencing (on/off switch) of PDGFR-beta transcription. The specific aims are: (1) To determine the biological function of the 54-end, mid-54, mid-34, and 34-end G-quadruplex-forming sequences by deletion and mutational analysis of the PDGFR-beta promoter element and then determine the effect of supercoiling on the pattern of G-quadruplex formation in the PDGFR-beta promoter. (2) To determine by NMR the folding patterns and structures of the G-quadruplexes in the PDGFR-beta promoter. (3) To identify specific proteins and small molecules that bind differentially to the constituent G-quadruplexes found in the PDGFR-beta promoter. For specific aim 1, we will construct supercoiled plasmids containing PDGFR-beta promoter inserts and a luciferase reporter system. For specific aim 2, high-field NMR will be used to determine the structures of the constituent G-quadruplexes located in the PDGFR-beta promoter element. For specific aim 3, we will use affinity chromatography and small molecule screening methods to identify proteins and drug-like molecules that bind to the individual G-quadruplexes. The biological effects of these entities will be determined in specific aim 1. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: An effective means to turn on and off genes associated with diseases, such as cancer and arteriosclerosis, with small drug-like molecules is still not available. In this project, we take advantage of a new mechanism to achieve this objective. The target is a gene that is commonly involved in pancreatic cancer and arteriosclerosis.